The Dragon suddenly lurched forward, snapping its huge jaw just short of Keldorn, who quickly darted backwards. The battle had started quickly and more suddenly than he had anticipated, but he was ready all the same.
His sword drawn, the Paladin considered his next move. Nervously, he looked behind his shoulder for his companions. Faster than a blink, Minsc and Korgan sprinted forward, coming to the learned paladin's aid.
Grinning he joined the charge, following close after his large ranger comrade. Ducking under a large swinging dragon tail, the trio came in close to the underbelly of the beast and hacked at its legs.
"He's a big one, no mistake" Korgan yelled over the sound of the dragon Firkraag's howling, causing Korgan to laugh despite the danger the three friends were in. Minsc said nothing but hit the dragon with tremendous strength. But Minsc hadn't been himself for a long time, Keldorn knew.
Keldorn was glad he was finally battling the tyrant dragon. He and the others had met the dragon over a year ago, while they were working with the Bhaalspawn Archon, who had vowed to the monster that he would someday return to put an end to his reign of terror.
Since his leader and friend had now ascended to the heavens as a god himself, Keldorn had taken it upon himself, with the help of his rabidly aggressive dwarven friend, Keldorn and slightly-insane ranger Minsc to go back to finish what was started. After months of tracking, they had finally found the monster in a large cave nearby where they had first challenged him back in the windspear hills.
Darting to the side, dodging another snapping jaw, Keldorn swiped deftly at the creature's exposed head, scoring a hit but doing no visible damage.
"Fall back" He called to his friends, skipping back a few steps. He had taken it upon himself to lead his 'new' group. The only members left after the departure of their leader. Last he heard Imoen had been practicing her immense sorcery skills in Waterdeep, Jaheria had gone back to her druid roots and wandered Faruen, helping those that needed it.
Since he made the decision to go back and slay the dragon, he was glad the final two members of the group agreed to accompany him. Both for the help and the company on the long road, though he himself was now aging at a more noticeable amount, he had secretly decided that this would be his last mission, that he would finally go back to his wife in Athkatla and leave his adventuring days behind. Where that left Minsc and Korgan, he did not know. Though secretly, he feared that the tolls of the road had caught up with Minsc as well.
Unhesitatingly, the two fighters leapt back, stepping into line with their leader. Keldorn nodded at them both, and all three ran in different directions immediately, each attacking the huge lizard from a different flank, Minsc headed left, Korgan for the right, his twin axes swinging in all directions and Keldorn attacking straight on.
Suddenly, the Dragon twisted his neck, facing Korgan. With a huge roar Keldorn knew that Firkraag the dragon had cast its magic, causing the dwarf to skid to the floor, face down and laying quite still. Keldorn didn't need to look to tell he'd been paralyzed. He prayed it was only temporary terror. Part of the Dragon's innate abilities. Slightly fazed, the old paladin charged in, mixing his attacks high and low, he noticed Minsc had reached its left flank and was also attacking, causing the creature to yelp loudly and angering it more than slightly.
It stomped its huge legs sending a shockwave and nearly knocking the two left-standing fighters. However, both were stronger than most and held their ground.
Though their strikes landed true, Keldorn knew they were not doing the necessary damage to kill it, they needed Korgan's help to hit the Dragon so they could disorient the beast enough to expose its stomach. The only weak, unarmored spot of a full adult red dragon.
Yelling to Minsc to continue the fight, Keldorn rolled to the side, dodging a flying claw and despite his years, exited the roll running head on towards the paralyzed body of his dwarven friend. Keldorn easily noticed the terrified, paralyzed expression on his companions face.
Dropping to one knee, Keldorn called upon his own innate paladin powers, granted to him from his god, Torm to help him cure the paralysis. Gently he touched Korgan on the forehead and noticed the salty dwarf immediately gain his senses.
Grabbing his twin axes, the stocky fighter rose to his feet and continued the attack, heading right, flashing a short grin of thanks to the Paladin, who also continued the attack.
The three fighters relentlessly cut and sliced any exposed spot they could see, frustrating and angering the Dragon.
Keldorn looked up at the looming face and recognized a familiar expression, he knew the monster was leaning back, a sign that he was readying to breathe fire, which would surely kill the trio.
Without hesitating he screamed "Now" and raised his sword, ready for the exposed belly of the beast.
Minsc dropped to one knee and thrust his sword deep into the front leg of his side of the dragon, Korgan did the same with his axes on his own side. The pain in the dragon's legs caused it to jolt back onto its back legs, exposing his huge orange gold colored belly. Keldorn yelled a battle cry as he drove his sword home, impaling the whole blade deep inside the guts and piercing the dragon's heart.
The dragon lurched backwards, throwing his head in the air, breathing fire desperately all around him, though thankfully easily missing the party. Korgan and Minsc jumped to the front, as was planned and each drove their own weapons into the fleshy gut of the giant.
The Dragon roared in defiance and wailed one last time in genuine surprise, then seemed to accept his own demise and collapsed to the floor, breathing heavily and roaring softly.
Keldorn felt no pity for the dragon as it lay dying, its kind had caused enough pain and suffering for centuries and he was glad to have finally ended the monsters reign on the land.
"So ends Firkraag the Tyrant" he muttered almost to himself and the companions nodded in agreement, watching the huge dragon close its eyes forever.
He wiped his sweat drenched forehead with his sword-arm, breathing heavier than he would have liked to admit. Korgan rested his axes on his shoulders and surveyed the damage. "Not bad." He added with a sadistic smirk.
Minsc simply rested on his great sword, also catching his breath. Keldorn noticed he rarely smiled these days.
"You have done well, Minsc." Keldorn said, placing a hand on his comrade's shoulder. "You should be proud of the battle. We have finally rid of the world of one less dragon."
Minsc simply nodded and turned away. Keldorn gripped him by the shoulders and spun him so they were face to face.
"Minsc, I must say, Boo…" He began, noting the large man's eyes drop at the name. "Boo would've been proud."
The past few months had been hard on the huge fighter, his pet, no, his friend, Boo the hamster had sadly died, leaving a huge hole in the man's heart. Respectful of his feelings, the other two friends bought it up on rarely, preferring for time to fix the warrior.
Keldorn remembered first hearing about the man's infactuation with the rodent, he remembered laughing at the absurdity. But now he couldn't imagine being any less than respectful over the ranger's mentor.
Minsc lifted his eyes to meet the aged man's and allowed himself a weak smile. The two were interrupted by the squelching noise of Korgan slicing his axe through the dragon's skull. "Just makin' sure he's dead." He shrugged, standing on the Dragon's shoulders. "Aye. He's dead." He added, looking down at his handy work.
Patting Minsc on the shoulder again, Keldorn strode over to the Dragon and put his hands on his hips. "Now that's done. What treasure did you carry, oh mighty dragon?" He asked the corpse with a grin.
Minsc looked around, "No treasure here." He said, scratching his bald head. Keldorn looked too. Sure enough there wasn't even a coin in the small cavern.
"Unusual for Dragons." He said, puzzled. "They usually horde many treasures, especially during long slumbers, as we caught our Firkraag doing." He nudged the carcass with his foot.
Korgan frowned. "Wait." He said and he laughed. Grabbing his axe again, he started slicing through the soft, yet surprisingly thick stomach of the Dragon.
Catching on, Minsc started forward, hacking deeper into the entrails, disgusting Keldorn, but was watching nonetheless.
"Aha." Called Korgan and leapt back as a horde of treasure spilled out of the stomach. Entrails and all.
Nearly gagging, Keldorn stepped closer, inspecting the treasure for anything useful.
Korgan laughed as he sifted through the gore, producing a few trinkets. "I should've known the evil Dragon would've been one to REALLY hide his store." He chuckled, Minsc simply watched, sheathing his great sword and making a move for the exit and waiting for the others.
Keldorn stood over his eccentric dwarven friend, briefly looking over the treasure. A few coins, a couple of gems. Typical Dragon horde. He sheathed his sword, and headed to the cave entrance to join minsc, and turning to call for Korgan.
"Ah, what's this then?" He heard Korgan shout, and turned to see the dwarf producing a large great sword from the stomach. "Looks like it would suit you nicely, fearless leader." He added, tossing the bloodied sword casually to Keldorn, who rubbed it down with an old rag he used for cleaning swords, he thought he recognized a marking..
He gasped and nearly dropped the two-handed sword when the realization came to him.
"What is it?" Minsc asked, approaching the Paladin. Keldorn looked over the hilt to make sure. Yes he was sure of it.
"If I'm right, this is the sword of Cormyr." Keldorn said, holding the sword up to admire its beauty. It's a legendary sword, thought lost for centuries." He turned back to the dragon. "I wonder how long Firkraag has greedily stored it in his gut."
Korgan waved his hand in dismissal of the great sword, he had no love for legends and myths, especially human legends. He went back to looting the treasure.
Minsc raised his eyebrows at the elderly man. "Such a mighty sword.." He said aloud, noting its fine craftsmanship, no stranger to two-handed swords.
"Yes, it has been passed down to Paladin's and Knights such as myself for generations." He gripped the sword snugly in two hands, and it seemed to glow, feeding the energy to Keldorn. "..So much power." He said, not taking his eyes off the beautiful blade.
"It looks like you've found a new companion, my friend." Minsc replied, and started to the door again, Korgan walked beside him, happy with the loot he had acquired.
Korgan looked back at the Dragon, pleased that the deed had finally been done. He thought of his Bhaal spawn friend, Archon again and chuckled to himself, imagining the new adventures he would surely be having in the heavens, only slightly disappointed he could not experience them with him.
With a smile he shook his head, and left to join his companions, leaving behind the Dragon and holding his new-found sword high, admiring the magic of the sword again. He would get it properly identified in the next town.
"So, where to next, pally?" Korgan asked, tossing his axe and catching it casually and leaning against the cave entrance.
Keldorn thought about telling his friends of his plans to retire for adventuring right there and then, but thought better of it. Besides, who knew what new adventures he could get into with his companions Minsc and Korgan and his new sword.
As he walked from the cave and towards the setting sun with his old friends, he realized he would enjoy finding out. He wasn't too old yet.